Little Harford

Little Harford is nearly wild camping at its most peaceful. The campsite sits in three acres of meadow and woodland, part of a family property bought in 1964 by Rachel’s parents, both artists, who planted more than 2,000 trees here in the early nineties. Today it’s a quiet valley full of birdsong, and if you bring your binoculars you might spot buzzards, owls, pheasants, foxes and deer.

There are just five pitches, each one private with plenty of room to breathe, so it never feels busy. Only the paths and pitches are mown, keeping the rest as wild as possible, and campfires are welcome, with firewood available on site for a small charge. When you arrive, load your kit into a wheelbarrow for the trip down the hillside, and in the evenings the woods twinkle with fairy lights. There’s also space for a campervan on the hard standing.

Facilities are kept simple: a gas-fired shower, compost toilets and a washing-up area. There’s no Wi-Fi and no phone signal, and as there are no bins, guests take their rubbish home and follow leave-no-trace principles. Bring a good torch for finding your way after dark.

Dogs are very welcome on the campsite, all year round. A winding path through the lower woodland leads down to a water meadow and a meandering river, and there are bridleway walks from the site to the pub in Tedburn St Mary. Please note that dogs aren’t allowed in the woodland pod or the B&B rooms in the house, so this is all about the campsite.

Despite feeling miles from anywhere, you’re under ten minutes from the A30. Tedburn St Mary, with its village shop and pub, is a five-minute drive, the edge of Dartmoor National Park is around 15 minutes away and Exeter is about 20, so there’s plenty to explore with your dog when you’re ready to leave the woods.